Where do you put your garbage?

I know I’ve only been writing this for a short time, but I think it’s time I say it…I can’t stand litter bugs! You know the type…  You’re running behind them and they seem to be acting like they’re in an Olympic time trial. Throwing their water cup UP in the air at the water stop, cutting corners right in front of you without warning, spitting with NO warning, blowing their nose “lumberjack style”, or best of all, turning their head and sneezing a cloud of germs just in time for me to run through (and get sick 3 days later).  All of these things I have seen and can overlook and just think to myself “I need to put this person behind me” or “I need to let this person go”. After all, we all have something that we do that “bugs” other racers. However, this is one thing that I just can’t let go. When I see someone passing a garbage can and then dropping a spent GU packet on the ground, I feel as though I need to say something. First of all, I care about the environment, so this totally goes against the grain of what I stand for in life.  We are all on this Earth, or “in” this thing called life, together.  Let’s learn to keep our planet clean – PLEASE! Secondly, why on “Earth” would you expect someone else to pick-up after you?!  Believe me, I know there are times, especially when you’re racing, that you have no choice but to throw a cup or GU packet, hopefully near a garbage can.  In most training situations though, there is no excuse and there should be ways to “hang on to” or throw out (into a receptacle) your garage.

As a human being I understand the fact that we are all busy nowadays.  It’s hard sometimes to think of other people and how our actions affect them. After all, our modern society is not set-up for that.  We are all independent contractors moving through life at our own pace taking care of things on our own. As a runner, I try to force myself to be aware of my surroundings, of who is next to me, to be as safe and careful as I can.  I definitely do not want to trip or fall on litter that was carelessly left behind.  That would be tragic, especially being Antiquated.